Stay Focused Despite the Global Economic Downturn
Emilia Smith, award-winning U.K. entrepreneur and founder of “Winter in Venice,” reflects on her early childhood:
“I remember my dad asking me to pack a suit-case when I went to collect my GCSE results in case I had failed, because failure was not an option for that situation. He was also the most loving father a child could have. I believe both my parents drilled the notion that failure was not an option, but if one was to fail, one failed in order to win. So when things didn’t always go according to plan, and in my case several things didn’t, my mum would laugh and say “Well, at least you know how not to do it now… …”
“Mother would also say, “so what?” “What next?” My parents never encouraged self-pity and insisted that every problem was in fact an opportunity. In short, they created a monster, a monster who said no to conformity and wanted the life less ordinary.”
“It was always about the winning not just the taking part. It was about the savouring the journey along the way but keeping focused on getting to the finish line first. These were the competitive streaks fostered in us as children. Nothing was ever handed out on a plate and it was always a matter of sink or swim. Incidentally, my siblings have similar virtues and give strong leadership in their respective business fields.”
“The reason I started by own business is because I could never work for anyone else and excel as I have too much ambition and aspiration to trust my future in someone else’s hands or simply be a number in the rat race.”
Read the entire article which includes Emilia’s fabulous 10 tips for business success here.
Photo credit: “Winter in Venice Blueberry Set.”
Posted by: Laurel Delaney